Ghazenfer Mansoor

Tee Time LLC

Lessons on Pivoting Careers and Growing a Startup

Date

October 16 2025

Duration

30 mins

Guest

Dustin Ward
Dustin Ward

Dustin Ward is the Founder and President of Tee Time LLC, an app-based platform that uses golf to foster community connection and promote inclusion. He is also the Founder and President of It Is Time…LLC, a consulting firm that works with organizations across Maine and New England to address systemic bias. With experience promoting racial equity, community organizing, and social entrepreneurship, Dustin holds several leadership positions, including serving as an honorary member of the nonprofit Mindbridge and being the first person of color to become a Select Board Member of New Gloucester.

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About The Episode

When life events push you to reconsider your path, finding the courage to pivot can lead to surprising opportunities for impact and growth. How can you transform past experiences into a meaningful entrepreneurial journey?

Entrepreneur and public servant Dustin Ward transformed his calling for ministry and social change into entrepreneurial action. He advises focusing on solving tangible problems for customers and being willing to delegate and outsource to trusted partners when expertise is required. By leaning into community and establishing personal boundaries, you can foster resilience and clarity to sustain personal and professional growth.

In this episode of Lessons From The Leap, Ghazenfer Mansoor sits down with Dustin Ward, Founder and President of Tee Time LLC and It Is Time…LLC, to discuss his journey from ministry to entrepreneurship. Dustin shares the lessons he learned from building an app without a coding background, strategies for balancing two businesses with family life, and why reassessing your path when it’s no longer rewarding is essential for long-term success.

What You Will Learn
  • [2:31] Dustin Ward’s transition from studying political science and theology to becoming an entrepreneur and equity advocate
  • [3:41] How Dustin launched It Is Time…LLC in 2020 to provide racial equity education and reconciliation consulting
  • [5:47] Dustin talks about creating the Tee Time app to build an inclusive golfing community
  • [14:43] The lessons Dustin learned from building an app without a technical background
  • [19:38] How to manage finances and promote a new product as a small business owner
  • [23:06] Balancing two businesses with family life by setting clear boundaries and prioritizing rest
  • [27:17] Key life lessons for entrepreneurs
Quotable Moments:
  • I had to force myself to admit that I can’t do it on my own.
  • If you’re not having fun, if there’s no joy in what you’re doing, reassess why.
  • Time is… money, but time is everything for a small business entrepreneur.
  • I always got to find an opportunity to put my product out there and say check it out.
  • Trusting the right people is huge because I’ve heard horror stories of losing tons of money.
Action Steps:
  1. Leverage your existing skills to pivot careers: Applying knowledge from past fields can unlock unexpected entrepreneurial opportunities and help you adapt when circumstances change. This approach allows you to build on strengths instead of starting from scratch.
  2. Partner with experts for technical tasks: Trusting professionals to handle areas outside your expertise saves time and prevents costly mistakes. It allows you to focus on strategy and growth rather than learning complex new skills.
  3. Set clear boundaries between work and family: Defining limits on work hours preserves personal relationships and prevents burnout. Maintaining balance keeps your energy and focus strong in both your business and personal life.
  4. Promote your product consistently: Continuously sharing your offering builds awareness and keeps it top of mind for potential customers. Ongoing promotion is key to gaining traction, especially when launching a new business.
  5. Reassess your path when the joy fades: Losing passion is a signal to step back and realign your work with your values. Staying true to what excites you leads to more sustainable and fulfilling success.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
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